_edited.png)
About Mark
I'm Mark Moody, an educator and college admissions professional since 1998. I've worked independently with students around the globe since 2022, when I also co-founded the Solstice College Counseling Network along with other expert, student-centered counselors with significant admission and education experience.
Who is a good fit to work with me?
-
Students:
-
at public, independent, and international schools who are engaged in their learning.
-
living in the U.S. or abroad, including expat and globally mobile families.
-
who are open-minded and willing to assess themselves honestly, to research college experiences, guided by data and evidence, and to question their pre-conceptions and others' opinions.
-
who are willing to build some proactive executive skills: scheduling meetings, arriving ready to move things forward, and doing meaningful work between sessions. I’m a friendly coach, guide, and cheerleader—not an executive function coach or therapist—and I'll help in any way I can, but I can’t make a disengaged student show up for this process before they are ready.
-
-
Families, parents, guardians:
-
who are looking for a student‑centered, individualized process more than a guarantee of specific outcomes.
-
who want to cut through the noise and clutter that muddy today's college conversations.
-
who support their child’s aspirations (without pressure or preconceived targets), the goal of a good‑fit environment, and who would welcome a calm, informed third party to ease college conversations at home and keep things moving in a healthy way, while respecting your priorities and requirements.
-
A Mindset Shift The conventional wisdom says: Do everything, be "perfect," play it safe to maximize your chances. The college admission fear-marketing machine wants you to prioritize lists of achievements over meaningful impact. Parent social media groups and the parent gossip at your school tell you to fill your kids' days and summers with paid activities, and everyone is looking for that one unicorn resumé entry that will somehow ensure admission wins in an activity-list competition. I've long observed that the opposite is true, while watching conventional wisdom drift farther from reality. Students who chase a single "dream school" outcome while manufacturing someone's idea of a "perfect" profile often miss the mark. Those who take genuine risks, pursue authentic interests, and approach the college search with curiosity tend to thrive while becoming more compelling candidates. There is an enormous amount you can't control in this process. Acknowledging that truth and focusing on your scope of influence makes all the difference. Signing up for more stuff is not the answer to the fact that you can neither predict or force outcomes. There's no perfect college—but there are many that could be great for you. College is more than a bumper sticker or sweatshirt. It's a lived, daily experience taking place over critical years in your development. The best experiences often come from unexpected moments and challenges. My goal is to help each student find the place that will value their story and provide everything needed to write some meaningful new chapters.
